Particle swarm optimization for route planning of unmanned aerial vehicles

Route planning for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is an extremely complex problem. Different means of optimization have been investigated for unmanned vehicles with various algorithms like genetic algorithms, evolution computations, neutral networks etc. This paper presents the application of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) for route planning problem. The route planning area is represented by a mesh of equal square cells. The objective function is constituted based on the factors of the flight time and safety. The threat level is evaluated with fuzzy technique. The implementation of the PSO search strategy to the route-planning problem is given. Simulation results indicate that the PSO based algorithm is a feasible approach for route planning problem.